Pumping apparatus



W; E. JANNEY, H. E. FISCEL AND J. L. MILLER.

PUMPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 06126 1919.

Patentedl May W, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

W. E. JANNEY, H. E FlSCEL AND J. L. MILLER.

PUMPING APPARATUS.

,1 APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. 1919- 1,3?7376 Patented May M, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 III rare

WILLIAM E. JANNEY, O1 TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, AND HARRY FISCEL AND JESSE L. MILLER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS 015 ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE M. LEMMON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUMPING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11), 1921.

Application filed October 6, 1919. Serial No. 328,924.

To all w ham it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM E. JANNEY,

of Toronto, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, and HARRY E. Fiscnn and Jnssn MILLER, both of Pittsburgh, Allegheny count-y,.Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pumping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

. This invention relates to pumping apparatus and particularly to pumping apparatus utilizing compressed air to directly effect a displacement of a liquid. I

It is the object of the invention to provide a pumpin apparatus comprising a pair of tanks having liquid intake ports so arranged with respect to the body of liquid to be displaced that said liquid may flow by gravity into said tanks, and to provide for alternately establishing each tank in communication with the compressionline of an air compressor or the like, while the discharge of air from the othertank is occurring, so that through the alternating operation ofthe two tanks, a continuous flow of the liquid may be maintained. Another object of the invention isto provide, in association with such an apparatus, means for establishing each tank in communication with the suction line of an air compressor or the like, while the companion tank is connected with the compression line of the air compressor, so that the potential energy of the compressed air with which each tank is filled, after the water has been driven therefrom, is entirely utilized.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an automatic valve for establishing the proper connections between thcair com pressor and the two tanks at proper time intervals, and to establish a pneumatic control of said automatic valve, I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic showing in side elevation of the complete pumping apparatus; V v Fig. 2 is a plan view in partial section of the automatic piston valve controlling the air connections, and the pneumatic control means for said valve;

Fig. 3 is a view of the same in side elevation;

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the same taken upon line 44 of Fig. 2.

In these views the reference character 1 designates a liquid reservoir, and 2 and 2 indicate a pair of cylindrical tanks which are fully immersed within the liquid in said reservoir. Liquid intake pipes 3 open re spectively into the bottoms of said tanks and respectiveiy are provided with check valves 4: resisting any outflow through said pipes. Within each tank there is located aball float valve 5 which rides upon the liquid within the tank andwhen said liquid has been discharged, isadapted to engage a tapered seat 6 forming a part ofthe tank bottom, preventing the compressed air, which has driven the. liquid from the tank, from discharging into the corresponding pipe 3. Above the check valves 4 the two pipes 3 are joined by a horizontal pipe 7, from which a pipe 8 arises preferably extending between the two tanks, check valves 9 being provided in the pipe 7 at each side of the pipe 8, permitting aflow of liquidtoward the pipe 8, which constitutes a discharge pressed air to be alternately introduced into the tanks 2 and 2 vto displace the liquid therefrom into the discharge line 8, and an air compressor 10 furnishes suchi supply. To alternately connect the compression line and suction line of said air compressor with the two tanks, there is employed a piston valve comprising the piston 11 and the casing 12, within which said piston reciprocates. The casing 12 is formed at intermediate points with a pair of horizontally alined ports 13 and a second pair of horizontally alined ports 14, and also with upwardly opening ports '15 and 16 respectively circumferentiallyregistered with the ports 13 and 141. Adjacent the respective ends of said casing, ports 17 and 18 open into said ends. The piston 11 is formed with two horizontal passages 19 and 19? and also withtwo ninety-degree passages 20 and 20 The compression line 21 of theair compressor 10 connects with one of the parts 13 and when the piston 11 is in its 1efthand position, such as is disclosed in Fig.2, the passage 19 register-s with the ports 13 so that compressedair may pass from the line 21,

pressure.

through the passage 19, to a pipe 22 communicating with the other port 13. The

compressed air is conducted from the pipe 22 through a pipe 23 to the tank 2, entering thetop thereof, and may pass further through a pipe 24 to the port 17 of the valve casing and thereby subject the left-hand end of the piston 11 to a super-atmospheric When the piston 11 has shifted to its right-hand position, it is evident from Fig. 2 that the angular pass will register at one end with the port 13, with which the compression line 21 communicates, and at its other endwith the port 15 which opens into a pipe 25 connecting through a pipe 26 with the top of tank 2 by and connecting also with a pipe 27 leading to the port 18 which opens into the right-hand end of the valve casing. Thus, in the right-hand position of the piston 11 compressed air may enter the tank 2 and further enter the right-hand end of the valve casing, subjecting the corresponding end of the piston to superatmospheric pressure. I

At'28 is designated the suction line of the air compressor, which line leads to one of the ports 14, the opposed port being in communication with a pipe29, which connects with thepipes 26 and 27. In the left-hand position of the piston 11 (see Fig. 2) the suction line 28 communicates through the pass 19 of said piston with the pipe 29 and owing to communication of the latter with the pipes 26 and 27 creates a suction in the tank [2? and in the right-hand end of the cylinder 12. I In the right-hand position of the piston 11, the angular pass 20 is placed in communication with the suction line 28 through the corresponding port 14, and throughthe port 16 opens into a pipe 30 Y which connects with the pipes 23 and 24, so

that under such conditions a suction is created in thetank 2 and in the left-hand end of the casing 12. Between the air compressor 10 and the automatic valve, the suction line 28 is providedwith an atmospheric air intake 31 controlled by a check valve31 which valveremains closed except when the pressure within said suction line falls to a predetermined extent below atmospheric pressure.

Describing now the actuating means for the automatic valve, 32 is a stem projecting from the piston 11 through oneend of the casing l2 and having exterior to .said casing the portion 33 of square cross-sectiomsaid portion having an engagement with a slide bearing 34, whereby the piston 11 is rel strainedfrom any rotation. At the respective ends of the squared portion 33 0f said stem there are mounted cushions 35. which, through engagement with. the slide bearing 34, determine the limiting positions of said piston, wherein the proper registration of the passes and ports is established. To the right of the right-hand cushion 35 there is mounted fast upon said stem a sleeve 36 having a key 37 upstanding therefrom, between which 'and the adjacent cushion 35 there is formed a slot 38, a similar slot 39 being formed in said key adjacent its righthand end. In the respective limiting positions of the piston 11, the slots 38 and 39 are engageable by a locking bar 40 mounted transversely of the piston axis in slide bearings 41 and having the depending end portion 42, which in the normal position of said locking bar, disclosed in full lines in Fig. 4, engages in one or other of the slots 38 and 39, but which as indicated in dash lines in said figure is disengageable from eitherof said slots under proper conditions. A leaf spring 43 mounted upon one of the slide bearings 41 bears upon an end of the locking bar 40, tending normally to maintain engagement of said locking bar with either of the slots 38 or'39 which may be in registration with the depending portion 42 of the locking bar. 7

To effect disengagement of the locking bar 40 from the key 37, there is provided a tappet valve 44. the stem 45 of which is alined with said locking bar. Said valve is disposed within a casing 46 communlcating through a pipe 47 with the compression line '21 of thesair compressor, and is acted upon within saidcasing by a coiled spring 48, tending to normally engage the valve'with a seat 48*, under which normal conditions the stein 45 is close acent the'locking bar 40. hen the valve 44 is raised from "the seat 48 sufficiently to ventthe pipe 27 and the compression line 21 through a port 49 in the casing 46, the accompanying movement of the valve stem 45 engages the latter with the locking bar 40 and effects disengagement of the portion 42 of said bar from either of the slots 38 or 39.

Describing now the operation of the apparatus, let it be supposed that the air compressor 10 is working and that the piston 11 is in itsleft-hand position, as shown in Fig. 2, theautomatic valve 44 being seated, and the piston being held in the specified position by engagement of the portion 42 of the locking bar 40 with the slot 390i? key 3.7. There must now occur a flow of compressed air through the line ,21,ports 13,'and pass 19 to the pipe 22 and thence through the pipe 23 to the topoftank 2 and through the pipe 24 by way of port 17 into the left-hand end of the casing 12. The compressed air entering the tank 2 efiects a discharge of the liquid contents of said tank by way of the upper portion of the corresponding pipe 3, the pipe 7 and the vertical pipe 8. While the tank 2 is thus being emptied of its liquid contents,

Cir

fecting a utilization of the potential energy of such compressed air which, if allowed to exhaust to the atmosphere, would be wasted. The suctlon line 28 of the air compressor is placed in communication with the tank 2 by the piston 11, when the latter is in its lefthand position, through registration of the pass 19 withthe two ports 14,-to one of which the suction line 28 leads while the other opens into the pipe 29 connecting through the pipe 26 with the top of the tank 2. Under the described conditions, there is furthermore created a suction in the righthand end of the cylinder 12, owing to connection of the pipe 27 branching from the pipe 29 with the port opening into said end of the valve casing. Since the tanks 2 and 2 are substantially of the same size and the compressed air in the latter is withdrawn and delivered by the air compressor to the former to effect discharge of the liquid contents of the former, it follows that by the time the tank 2 has been emptied of liquid and filled with compressed air, the tank 2 will be emptied of compressed air and filled with liquid, the latter flowing into said tank by gravity. Completion of the discharge of liquid from the tank 2 results in engagement of the float valve 5 in said tank with its seat 6, preventing the compressedair in said tank from following up the discharging water. The described conditions are maintained for a brief interval during which the air pres sure in the compression line 21 has no relief and consequently rises, the suction line 28, during this interval, taking its supply of air through the atmospheric intake 31. After a predetermined rise of pressure, the spring 48 seating the valve 44 is overcome, said valve, in yielding under the abnormal air pressure effecting a relief of said pressure by venting the pipe 47 and compression line 28 through the port 49 and at the same time acting through the stem 45 upon the looking member 40 to shift the latter to the dashline position indicated in Fig. 4, in which osition said member is disengaged from the rey 37. An immediate shifting of the piston 11 to the right results, due to the fact that a super-atmospheric pressure exerts in the left-hand end of the casing 12 and a subatmospheric pressure in the righthand end thereof. The abnormal pressure in the compression line 28 having been relieved, the valve 44 immediately returns to its seat 48. The locking member 40 is restrained from movement to its normal position by the key 37 until the piston 11 has reached its right hand limiting position, bringing the slot 38 into registration with the locking bar 40. Thereupon the spring 43 throws said locking bar into its normal position in which the depending portion 42 of said bar will, through engagement with the slot 39 of the key 37, maintain the right-hand position of the piston. In said position, compressed air will enter the top of the tank 2 passing from the compression line 21 through the angular pass and thence through the pipes and 26 to the tank 2 The compressed'air which is thus introduced into the tank 2 will be drawn from the tank 2 passing from the latter through the pipes 23 and and the angular pass 20" to the suction line 28 of the air compressor. At the same time a sub-atmospheric pressure will be created in the left-hand end of the casing 12 owing to the said end being connected by the pipe 24 with the pipe 30, and a super-atmospheric pressure will arise in the right-hand end of said casing, due to connection of said end through the pipe 27 with the pipe 25. Thus when the liquid contents of the tank 2 'have been completely I discharged and there follows an abnormal rise of pressure in the compression line'21,

will be under such air pressure as will effect its immediate return to its original left-hand position, as is shown in Fig. 2. Thus there is a continuous repetition of the cycle of described operations as a result of which one of the air tanks is constantly discharging a liquid, while the other tank is supplying compressed air to be delivered to the firstmentioned tank.

While the tanks 2 and 2 as disclosed in the drawings are immersed completely in the liquid which is to be displaced, it is evident that such immersion of the tanks is not essential, the main requisite being the location of the tanks at a level such that the liquid to be umped may enter said tanks by a gravity ow.

The described apparatus has a particular application wherever a supply of compressed air is available, as for example in mining, or on any job where pneumatic tools are employed. The two tanks with the automatic control valve and the necessary air connections may be installed at a much less expense than a steam or an electrically operated pump of the same capacity. The apparatus is highly efficient in operation for the reason that there is practically no exhausting of the compressed air, and consequently, no waste of the potential energy derived by said air from its compression. A small quantity of atmospheric air will be at intervals taken in through the check valves 31 to compensate for any air leakage and for such air as is vented at intervals through the release port 49. An important advantage of the apparatus is that the cross-sectional shape of the tanks 2 and 2 and the relative dimensions of said tanks may be varied in innumerable ways wthoutaffecting the efliciency of operation. Thus by considerably elongating the tanks as compared to their cross-sectional area, they may be lowered through a Well or other opening, which could not possibly accommodate a steam or electric pump of the same capacity.

What we claim as-our invention is: V

1. A pumping apparatus. comprising two tanks respectively having provision for admitting and discharging a liquid, an air compressor, pipe connections from said compressor to said tanks, a piston valve controlling said connections respectively estabwith the piston and means actuated by an abnormal pressure in said pipe connections for momentarlly disengaging the locking member from said stem.

2. A pumping apparatus comprising two tanks respectively having provision for admitting and discharging a liquid, an air compressor, pipe connections from said compressor to said, tanks, a piston valve controlllng saldconnections, respectively establishing an air supply to said tanks in the limiting positionof the piston, means for supplying air pressure endwise to the piston in each limiting position tourge the same toward its other limit, a stem extending from the piston in the direction of its stroke, a locking member engageable with said stem in either limiting position of the pistonto restrain the latter against yielding to end thrust of the air pressure, a valve in said pipe connections opening upon creation of an abnormal air pressure in saidconnections to relieve said abnormal pressure, and. a stem for said valve adapted to actuate said locking member out of engagement with the stem of the piston when said relief valve is unseated. r

8. The combination with two compressed air appliances, of a piston valve alternately establishing an air supply to said appliances according as it occupies its limiting positions, means for applying air pressure to said valve in each limiting position tending to shift the valve to its other limit, a locking member for said valve operative to re tain the same in either limiting position, means urging said locking member normally into engagement with said valve, and means energized by an abnormal pressure in either of said appliances for disengaging the locking member from the valve.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures.

WILLIAM E. J ANNEY. HARRY E. FISCEL. JESSE L. MILLER. 

